Atletico Madrid 0-2 Real Madrid
Two first half goals, one from raul 32 seconds in the game and the second from van nistelrooy just before half time gave real madrid a comfortable lead which meant that they could relax in the second half after a very fast paced first half where the tackles were flying and few got injured, the match had everything from sergio ramos’s elbow to the face of kun aguero to atletico madrid’s keeper making not so good clearances.
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Atletico madrid tried to slow the game down, I don’t know why as they were the one trailing, by making tackles after tackles in the midfield. Maxi Rodrigues made a really bad cynical challenge on Miguel Torres which must have affected torres’s ankle ligaments.
Aguero was by far the best player on the pitch for atletico madrid but even he had to surrender to casillas’s masterful goalkeeping which really frustrated atletico madrid. Real madrid substituted guti and brought baptista to add some weight to the midfield of real madrid. Real Madrid were also didn’t hesitate to make tackles when required which saw several real madrid players getting booked for fouls close to the edge of the penalty area. Anyway, Baptista came on and tried to impose himself in the midfield getting fouled several times in the process.
Great goal keeping from Casillas and quality finishing from real madrid’s striker was the order of the day as atletico madrid had several chances on goal but just could not convert them into goals. Real Madrid’s work ethic was superb. Drenthe came on for robinho in the 85th minute just to see the game off, schuster going for safety first option. Real madrid absorbed the pressure very well in the second half and just sat back on their 0-2 lead.
Atletico madrid I think tonight did learn that the hardest thing to do in football is to score goals as they hit the post several times in the match and ended up shooting themselves in the foot as the first goal was a poor mistake by the defender and the second goal was just unacceptable goal keeping from atletico madrid’s goal keeper.
Player Ratings
Casillas 9 : He is on unbelievable form at the moment, keeping real madrid alive in tough matches against tough opponents, Casillas is just unbeatable at the moment. Made some stunning saves which as I always say acts as an extra securtiy which allows real madrid to relax a bit and go forward with more commitment. I think Casillas’s performance in this match and also in the previous ones has definitely put him ahead of Cech and Buffon. Still has not reached his peak yet and will definitely continue to improve in the coming years for real madrid.
Casillas is as light as feather
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Salgado 2 : From the moment he came on for pepe he looked like making a mistake and mistake he did make just seconds after his arrival, giving a free kick straight to atletico madrid’s striker but real madrid were able to recover. Did not look solid at all throughout the game, part of it can be explained by his lack of match practise and low confidence but still, when your at real madrid you have to make your chances count just like julio baptista has done. Judging by his performance tonight I would not be surprised if he is dropped again to the subs bench.
Salgado, a tough defender but gives away too many fouls
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Sergio Ramos 7 : Solid defending by the versatile defender. Switched to center back when pepe got injured and performed at an exceptional well. He was very efficient in clearing headers and maintaining a decent shape of the real madrid’s defense throughout the game. Was very creative in going forward and troubled atletico madrid’s wing backs earlier in the game. He is fast becoming one of the best defenders in Europe with his consistent performances.
Cannavaro 7 : Had a good game, but then again you always expect a good game from the former player of the year Cannavaro. Worked hard in closing down atletico attackers when ball was played to them from the center and made life difficult for forlan and aguero, not allowing them to settle on the ball.
Cannavaro with a flying header, crushing the opponent’s player
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Torres 7 : Got booked very early in the game which kind of restricted him to make risky tackles but still played the whole 90 minutes and did not receive a red card. Very solid player at the back, Marcelo however is a bit better going forward but defensively torres is far superior to him as he can handle tough situations and one on ones with the attacker running at him at pace.
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Guti 6 : Average game for him, was very clever in keeping the ball for real madrid and not allowing atletico madrid to dominate the midfield. Made some good disguised passes which penetrated very well. Got a little tired in the second half and did not help the defense very much which lead schuster to substitute him and bring on baptista. Guti’s touch on the ball is fantastic but he needs to work on his stamina and pace a little bit.
Sneijder 6 : Today he did not look like an attacking midfielder as I rarely saw him orchestrating the midfield but that depends on the game plan as well. Worked had, tracked back a lot and made on splendid pass to robinho on the counter attack which could have been the third goal for real madrid but robinho’s shot went well wide. He is definitely settling into the team now, still no signs of the player which real madrid had in mind when they signed him. Either because real madrid are playing with guti in the midfield or may be he is not been given enough freedom, whatever it is he is just not performing to the level that is expected from a big money signing.
Played more like a defensive midfielder today
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Gago 8 : I am really impressed by gago’s perfomances since diarra left for African cup of nations, he is holding the midfield together very well and his touch on the ball is also acceptable contrary to diarra. He was the steel for real madrid in defense and often filled the center back position when sergio ramos played the ball in front and joined the attack. Gago really played like a commander in the midfield, taking down atletico madrid’s players when it was required and really put his body on the ling in trying to stop atletico hitting real madrid on the break.
He really got stuck in tonight
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Raul 8 : He ran the whole 90 minutes, making his presence felt on the whole pitch. Closed down defenders and sometimes helped the right back salgado as well by pressurizing the player in possession. Scored that vital early goal which made atletico madrid to come out and attack leaving gaps in the defense line and were punished later in the game. That takes raul goal tally against atletico madrid to 11.
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Robinho 8 : Again bamboozled defenders with his quick feet and quick change of direction. Did not give up on second balls which payed off as he stole the ball from the defender in the 32nd second which lead to the first goal. Also had a decent number of chances to increase his goal count but did not as his shot accuracy was way off target. He took on all defenders of atletico madrid and they just did not have an answer for him. He is really becoming a team player rather than a selfish player like Cristiano Ronaldo who basically just goes for glory every game and tries to score goals for individual praise. Robinho whereas has changes his game for the team and scrafices his flamboyance and only unleashes when real madrid have a good lead over the opponents.
Did not have his shooting boots on tonight
(Source Realmadrid.com)
Van Nistelrooy 9 : Along with casillas he was the best player for real madrid tonight as he came close on scoring two goals rather than one which he scored just before half time with a neatly timed volley direct from a corner inside the six yard box I think but credit also goes to the poor goal keeping from the atletico madrid’s keeper. He just keeps on scoring and scoring. I hope his form continues like this which would definitely propel real madrid to the league title again, just like last year.
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